


A Day on Earth

by pyromania2667



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Gen, Human, Satire, Teenage Dorks, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:27:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28205319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyromania2667/pseuds/pyromania2667
Summary: So I asked people what they wanted to request from me. I didn't expect a request of my OC, so I went with it because they were the first one to suggest something.Anyway, this become WAY longer than I expected.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	A Day on Earth

As the semester comes to its close, Amber scrolls through her phone, perusing through the texts of her friends. Fridays in the winter always seem to feel chillier than usual.

Chloe - 3:22 pm; "Y'all h8rs want to go back to THE DRAIN today?"

Amber - 3:22 pm; "Not going back cause I never left."

Chandler - 3:22 pm; "Can't. I told my mom I'd help close the shop today."

Zachary - 3:23 pm; "Lol loser."

Chandler - 3:23 pm; "Family first."

Amber - 3:24 pm; "I THOUGHT WE WERE FAMILY, WE COULD'VE HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL, CHANDLER."

Chloe - 3:24 pm; "Lol"

Chandler - 3:25 pm; "Just go without me, we can meet up on Saturday or smtn."

Amber looks up from her phone as the rusty scent of oxidated pipes reminds her of the times spent here. The grass has become far overgrown because nobody walks this far our from the culdesac anyway. There are no roads, just sparse trees and a large stretch of grass. A cool breeze passes through Amber as she sits down on a patch of concrete next to the grate of the storm drain. She drags her fingers through the grass, the dew still lingering despite how it's past mid-day.

She opens her phone but stops as Chloe is quick to approach. She is currently dressed in a lavender windbreaker with a white shirt underneath, blue jeans, and a pair of lavender sneakers.

_"Sup, loser."_

_"Hey."_

Amber opens her phone again as Chloe sits on the ground next to her.

Chloe speaks up again, _"Got anything planned for the break?"_

Amber doesn't look up from her phone, _"Nah, probably gonna go to the library or something. They give out hot cocoa on Wednesdays."_

_"Sweet, do you know if they'll give out marshmallows again this year?"_

_"Probably"_

_"Nice"_

The duo pauses for a moment. Amber is still scrolling through her phone until Chloe breaks the silence.

_"What about the Christmas assignment?"_

Amber shakes her head, _"Bleh, imagine doing schoolwork during a break. Besides, it's not like the teachers really care."_

Chloe smirks, _"Yeah, totally something a nerd like Chandler would do."_

_"Come on. I know you have a crush on him."_

Chloe rolls her eyes, ignoring Amber's prodding.

Zachary steps up, butting in on the conversation. He's dressed in a black jacket and long cargo pants with black vans.

_"So, did I miss the juicy gossip already?"_

Chole turns her gaze to meet his, _"There is no gossip; Chandler is still a nerd."_

Zachary snickers, _"Looks like nothing much is going on then."_

Amber gives a sharp breath, _"Pfft like there's anything to do here anyway. The suburbs kinda suck."_

_"And you swallow,"_ Zachary snides.

Amber lifts her head from her phone, raising an eyebrow before shaking her head at Zachary, _"Gross."_

Chole speaks up, _"What about you, Zach? Have any plans for the break?"_

_"Nah. You?"_

Chloe shrugs, _"I don't know."_

_"I told you,"_ Amber chimes, absorbed into her phone once more, _"The suburbs s-, I mean, there's not much to do around here."_

Zachary snickers slightly.

Chloe encroaches on Amber's personal space as Zachary joins as well. _"Whatcha looking at?"_ Chloe asks.

_"Chandler's CCTV. I remember he hooked it up to Youtube a while ago, and sometimes I just like to watch when there's nothing else to do."_

The three of them peer into the small phone screen, watching with intent as minutes pass by.

Zachary breaks the silence, _"Does anything fun happen?"_

Amber shakes her head.

_"Dang, talk about a snoozefest. I can't believe Chandler would do this over hanging out with us."_

_"Like we'd be doing anything fun anyway."_ Chloe retorts, _"Do you want to roll around in the wet, dirty grass or something?"_

Zachary reaches his hand down, ripping some blades from the ground. He brings a single long strand to his lips before blowing into it. The grass whistle squeaks in a shaky high pitch, not thoroughly made to be the most melodic instrument.

Chloe smirks, plucking a blade of grass as well before joining him in the duet.

Amber clicks her phone off, _"Okay, we're in a band now or something? What's going on."_

Amber takes a breath before lowering the blade, _"Yeah, come on. There's plenty of instruments around. Join us in sweet, sweet harmony."_

Amber plucks a strand of grass, shaking the dew off and blowing any dirt away. It's not long until the trio is blasting their discordant symphony into the floral blades. A rhythmic harmony shatters the cacophony of music. Amber's phone is going off, and it almost would've gone unnoticed if Amber didn't stop to breathe.

Amber ceases her music, signaling for the others to stop, _"Shoot, my mom's calling. We've been out here for a lot longer than usual."_

Chloe brings her whistle down, and Zachary relaxes, blade still in his mouth before he spits it out.

_"Yes, mom?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Sorry"_

_"Okay."_

_"Sorry."_

Amber pockets her phone in a single fluid motion, _"Sorry, I gotta go. My mom says I have chores to do before I help make dinner."_

Chloe sighs dejectedly, _"Dang, well... It was fun. I guess we should walk home now."_

Zachary looks up toward the sky, _"Come on, we still got like..."_ he holds out his hand, counting his fingers. _"Zero minutes until sunset."_

The sun passes over the horizon as night falls upon the suburbs. The next day of winter is long to dawn but crawls up eventually.

Chandler - 10:14 am; "Hey, meet me at the storm drain. Got something cool."

Amber - 10:32 am; "Define 'cool'"

Chloe - 10:35 am; "Sorry I don't hang out with nerds that hang out with their mommy"

Zachary - 10:35 am; "I guess we're all nerds. Meet you there"

Chandler - 10:40 am; "So are you guys coming? I'm already on my way."

Chloe - 10:41 am; "Kk"

Zachary - 10:41 am; "Yuh"

Amber - 10:41 am; "Race you there."

Chloe - 10:43 am; "Not fair >:("

Amber is the first to arrive, given she lives the closest to the storm drain. It doesn't take long for the other three to arrive.

Amber chants, _"I win, you lose, now y'all are old news."_

Chloe scoffs, _"You only win because you live way closer than any of us."_

Amber raises a hand to her ear, _"What's that? All I hear are the cries of a sore loser."_

_"Whatever, Amber always wins,_ " Zachary states, _"So Chandler, whatcha got there?"_

Chandler sets down a very large and thick book, wrapped in leather and bound by string, _"Some weirdo left this book at the shop the other day. I found it in the bathroom while I was cleaning up. I hid it from my mom because I knew she'd tell me that it could be dangerous or whatever."_

_"Ooh, fun. Danger sounds fun,"_ Chloe remarks.

_"Yeah, I don't know what's inside, could be a diary... or the path to Mordor!"_

Amber rolls her eyes, _"Mordor? Really? That's about as likely as Zachary getting into Harvard."_

Chloe rolls her eyes, _"Tolkien's works are overrated anyway."_

Chandler unleashes an audible gasp, _"How dare you say his name in vain! He is a gift to all readers out there!"_

Chloe snickers, _"Yeah, sure, and I am the second coming of Christ."_

Zachary impatiently tugs at the string, _"Cancel my magazine subscription. I'm over your issues, so I'm finding out for myself right now!"_

The string unravels before Zachary rips open the book.

Amber tries to speak up, but it's too late, _"Wait, you're... you're invading someone's privacy. It's obviously a diary or something."_

Zachary quickly retorts, _"Sucks. He should've kept better care of it then."_

He opens to the first page, on the sheet of paper is a script written in an illegible language.

The group leans in, gawking at the page.

Zachary nudges Chandler, _"Go on. You're the geek that knows all this fantasy stuff. What does it say?_

Chandler shakes his head, _"This is nothing like DnD, Tolkien's work, or anything I've seen before."_

Amber takes a small step back, but she is unable to pry her eyes from the text.

Chloe reaches forward, turning to the next page.

The rest of the teens shift their glance to her as if she had single-handedly slain a dragon.

Chloe shrugs, _"I thought maybe there'd be something a little more interesting on the next page. No, just scribbles."_

The book starts fluttering. Pages fly by, flipping one after the other.

_"Chloe, what did you do?!"_ Amber shouts.

Chloe raises her hands defensively, _"What?! I just turned the page! I didn't think anything would happen!"_

_"Chandler!"_ Amber states as she shifts her blazing gaze to him, " _You shouldn't've taken someone else's property like this without their permission!"_

Chandler whimpers, reflexively raising his arms to defend himself, _"I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!"_

_"Guys, look!"_ Zachary states, pointing at the book, _"Something's going on!"_

Everyone feasts their eyes upon the book, it's glowing a faint blue hue as a single page is torn from the spine. A beam of light rips through the page, one after the other until the shards of paper slowly begin to expand. The light is almost blinding as they shield their eyes from the brilliance.

Zendune wasn't sure where this portal was taking him, but his friend assured him that he needed his help for a very specific ritual. Of course, Zendune was happy to help a friend in need. A friend who wants to practice magic? Who would he be to stop their aspirations?

At first, there was inky blackness as Zendune fell through the void. Did the portal go awry? This doesn't usually happen. He opens his eyes to a flat field, long patches of grass, and the occasional tree sprinkles the area.

A familiar scent hits his nostrils. The smell of old blood on an iron sword. He takes another deep sniff. No, just rust. Close enough.

He looks toward the ground to see four... humans? Humans?! They're pretty small for the average human, and also dressed very weirdly.

He ganders at the four of them. On his left is the tallest one out of all of them. A woman with brown hair that reaches just past her shoulders and fair complexion. She has soft features and is wearing a brown leather coat and blue pants. She's wearing some kind of boots, with a pattern he cannot recognize. The pants seem to be made of very thick cloth. Maybe denim? Zendune prefers plate armor anyway.

Next to her is the shortest of all of them. A man with the palest complexion, wearing a grey sweater and baggy shorts. He has short blond hair and faint freckles that coat his face. On his itty bitty feet are itty bitty shoes, like tiny prisons.

Next to him is the second tallest. A man in a black cloth hood and pants with far too many pockets on them. He wears black shoes of some sort, he almost looks like he's ready to run away at any given moment with them. It's a little difficult to make out his features from this angle and his hood, but he can see short brown hair and a rather plain looking face.

Lastly is another woman. Definitely the funkiest looking out of all of them. Her face almost looks stretched, like someone is constantly pulling at her eyes. It's kinda funny how she squints. She has long black hair and an olive skin tone. She would look the biggest out of all of them with the very bulky purple coat if not for her height. She also has some pants that look not unlike the first girl's. She doesn't wear boots like the first one, instead, a pair of flat shoes of a similar color to her coat.

Chloe immediately faints at the sight of the behemoth. The remaining trio gawks at the creature standing before them. It is massive, easily twice the height of Amber. It has long arms, legs, and very taut skin to compliment his tremendous musculature. Its skin is blue, but it seems like it has a faint lining of fur around him. Its face is very sharp and narrow, with a long pronounced nose and boar-like tusks that protrude from its mouth up to his brow ridge. It has a small forehead and a floppy mohawk crowns the top of its head. Its ears are exceptionally large, swinging behind him in the wind. The being is currently clad in nothing but some fur underwear, seemingly unabashed by its partial nudity.

The creature continues to eye them, but it seems to have no malicious intent. Instead, a grin begins to spread from its face, spanning from ear to ear.

_"Ir, italaf? Fidong wi sca. Weh ackee di fus im riva ting t'ief, ju?"_ Its gaze shifts to Chloe, giving a pensive sigh, _"So, difus di smadda skam mek yu nehjo, fu?"_

The three share bewildered glances with each other, unable to understand its language. 

_It speaks up again, "Han tor lok'dim wassa? Ir o duti fus'obeah?"_ It snickers before a hint of realization seems to dawn upon its face, _"Yu, deh siame wassa Zandali."_

Chloe slowly opens her eyes.

It cheers in excitement, _"Tor atuad!"_

Chloe narrows her gaze, " _What... what did he say? Did he just talk?!"_

The behemoth seems taken aback by her statement before shifting in place slightly. It looks down at its feet, picking up the book it stands upon.

It takes a glance at a page before waving his hand briefly. The page flies out before vanishing in a small puff of smoke.

_"Ah, dat's betta,"_ It states.

_"It speaks!"_ Amber shouts.

_"Yeah, an' I dance too, what's new."_ It shakes its head before bowing graciously, "Ack, sorry. De name is Zendune, and you are?"

Amber takes a shaky breath, _"Amber..?"_

_"Zachary"_

_"Chandler"_

_"Chloe"_

Zendune speaks up, _"Ya seem frightened, little humans..."_

Chandler swallows softly before speaking up _, "What... What are you?"_

Zendune pauses for a moment before a grin spreads across his face once more, far more smug than ever. _"Ah. Me? I am your Loa now. Little 'umans like ya are rubble before my might."_ He flexes his massive biceps, _"Worship me! I demand tribute!"_

_"T-tribute?!"_ Zachary replies nervously.

Zendune lowers his arms, _"Wait, 'ow old are y' guys?"_

_"Sixteen..."_ they all reply.

_"Ah, oh, uh. No, I'm no loa. It was just a tease, I don't want ya worship. I am just a troll, y' guys don't seem like you're from around 'ere."_

Amber seems shocked by his statement, _"What do you mean? You just poofed out of a book, if anything you don't belong here!"_

Zendune glances at the in his grasp once more. The massive book seems a bit more reasonable with him. The troll's fingers are as long as the cover.

Zendune inspects the book carefully, _"Hmm, weird. I dunno if I can find my way back wit dis. I guess dis isn't Azeroth, no?"_

_"You're on Earth,"_ Chandler replies.

Zendune gives a warm smile, _"Eart, like de element. Cute."_

Amber speaks up, _"Element? Like the periodic table?"_

Zendune gives a confused glance, _"The what table? No, I mean de 4 elements."_

_"There are over 100 elements, Zendune,"_ Chloe responds.

Zendune seems even more puzzled, _"Ah... what?"_

Zachary shakes his head, _"He clearly doesn't understand, why don't we ask something else. Like, where're your clothes? Why are you in your underwear? Do you only wear underwear?"_

Zendune smirks, _"Oh, I didn't bring ma armor into de portal. What, y' like whatcha see?"_

Amber shakes her head, _"Not really, I'd really like it if you WEREN'T naked right now."_

_"Aww, and here I thought we were havin' a little fun. Ah, well... I would get some clothes, but..."_ Zendune glances around, _"Well, d'ya have anytin for me t' wear?"_

The four exchange glances as they start to wonder what to do with him. 

He reaches his hands to his firm abs, _"Hmm, gettin' 'ungry... d'ya have any rabbits or sometin' I can eat around 'ere?'_

Amber shakes her head, _"Um... not really."_

Chloe tugs at Amber's wrist, _"A word? Now?!"_ She shifts her gaze to Chandler and Zachary, " _Everyone?!"_

They quickly huddle together.

_"We can't leave him here, can we?"_ Chloe asks.

_"No, he's a very real creature, just like us. He's probably cold and may get very lonely alone out here."_ Chandler responds

_"He is NOT my responsibility, I did not condone the actions of messing with someone else's property." A_ mber retorts.

Zachary leans in more, _"He's not a dog either, we can't abandon him or let him starve. I'll take care of him then. My parents pay like no attention to me or any of us anyway."_

They break formation before returning their attention to Zendune. Zendune only replies with a smug grin.

_"Well,"_ Zachary speaks up, _"It looks like you're going to spend the night with me, troll."_

_"All, little Zachary it is den. I was lookin' forward to bein alone out here in dis new place."_

_"Really?"_ Chloe asks, _"Well in th-"_

Chandler gives her a swift elbow to the side, _"I'm sure we will become great friends, and hopefully return you home soon."_

Zendune smirks, _"Sounds like we're in for a little fun."_ He glances toward the sky, _"And we still got a whole lotta day left, don't we?"_

The teens exchange nervous glances before Zachary speaks up, _"Follow me, I'll lead you to my home."_ He grabs Zendune by his hanging wrist, pulling on him, ensuring he sticks close.

_"Easy dere,"_ Zendune states as he's dragged off.

The suburbs are quiet, thankfully the culdesac Zachary lives in is far from the town center, so he manages to inconspicuously bring Zendune to shelter. The five of them bring the massive troll to his home. The interior of his single-story home was unfortunately not built to properly accommodate someone nearly 10ft tall.

Zendune hunches slightly as Zachary closes the door behind him. The troll takes a deep breath, the house has a faint smokey smell like someone had ignited the kitchen recently while trying to prepare a meal.

Guiding them to the living room, Zachary speaks up first, _"Okay, so... We obviously can't keep him in the garage because that's where my mom parks the car... We can't keep him in the backyard because then people will see when they come home."_

Zendune sits quietly, a coy grin smeared across his face as he watches the teens argue over him.

_"Your house is the best option, but... well, your house is also really small, Zach,"_ Chandler replies

_"And what will we do when someone finds him. What will we do when the guy comes back for his book?"_ Amber gestures toward Zendune, book still in his hand.

_"Well, he's a pretty big guy, maybe we can use him for manual labor,"_ Chloe states.

_"He is not a toy,"_ Amber retorts.

Zendune raises an eyebrow, mouthing something, but stops before he gets any words out.

Zachary speaks up again, _"He can't stay in the guest room, my mom will flip out if she heard I went in there and messed up the bed."_ He pauses to think for a moment, _"I... I guess he can sleep in my bedroom?"_

Zendune gives an inquisitive eyebrow raise at the thought. "Ya can at least take me out fo' dinner, no?"

The four turn their attention back to him.

Chandler meets his gaze, _"What, what do you like to eat?"_

Zendune shrugs, _"Anytin' ya have t' offer I s'pose,"_

Zachary sighs before gesturing for Zendune to follow, "Follow me, we got food in the fridge."

Zendune rises, nearly hitting his head on the ceiling before following Zachary to the kitchen. Zachary opens the door, "We have... eggs... milk... water..." he turns to face Zendune, "You know what this stuff is, right?"

Zendune nods, "Mhmm."

_"Good. Cold cuts, greens, corn."_

Zendune points at the cold cuts, _"What's dat? Cold cuts?"_

_"Turkey,"_ Amber states.

Zendune licks his lips, _"Mmm, turkey. I could go fo' some of dat."_

Zachary reaches in, grabbing the packaged slices of turkey before handing it to Zendune.

Zendune looks at the package inquisitively

_"Hold on,"_ Chandler states as he reaches over to open the bag for Zendune.

Zendune smiles as the meat inside is unsealed, "Tanks."

Amber sighs, _"What, he's just going to eat turkey straight from the bag? There's paper and junk between the slices, you know."_

Zendune grabs a fistful of turkey before inspecting it briefly. He shrugs before pulling out a few wads of paper and stuffing the turkey down his mouth.

"Still a bit peckish," Zendune notes.

_"We can't feed someone as big as him, can we?"_ Chloe asks, _"We'll run out of food long before we can get him home."_

Chandler shrugs, "Well, we'll just work with what we have."

Amber shakes her head, _"Zendune, can I see the book please?"_

Zendune looks at the book in his hands, _"Yeah, sure. I ain't one fo' reading much anyway."_

Amber raises an eyebrow, _"You don't know much about the book?"_

Zendune shrugs, _"I know a bit, but readin' isn't my tin_ g."

"This book probably has something to get you back home."

Zendune raises an eyebrow, _"Ya sure? My friend neva seems t' tink dese tings through."_

Amber sighs again, _"It's all we have to work with."_

Zachary glances at the clock above the oven, _"Guys, it's nearly 6. My mom will be home soon. We gotta get him to my room or something."_

_"Great!"_ Chloe replies, _"In that case, I'll see you guys tomorrow. Later!"_

_"Chloe!"_ Amber retorts, _"You're staying here, we're NOT leaving Zachary alone with this guy."_

Chloe rolls her eyes, _"Fine, I'll stick around, I guess."_

Zendune smirks, "Dat's de spirit, girlie."

_"Interesting,"_ Chandler replies, _"He believes in spirits too..."_

Zendune smiles, _"Gonna die one day, kids. Live while ya can."_

_"We can talk more about it in private. This way."_ Zachary gestures for Zendune and the rest to follow.

They huddle to his room, barely able to accommodate four people, let alone five.

Chandler speaks up as Zachary closes the door behind them, _"Where do you come from, Zednune?"_

_"Azeroth,"_ Zendune states

The teens sitting before him exchange confused glances with each other.

_"Issa nice place. Lotta war."_

Chloe sighs, _"Everywhere seems to have war. Looks like Azeroth is no different."_

Zendune raises an eyebrow, "Guess no place is perfect, is it? Ta tink dat my friend wanted t' send me somewhere safe. Guess dat spell has a few kinks t' work out."

Amber opens the spellbook cautiously, "Speaking of spells... we don't really have magic here. Are you sure you can't help me with this?"

Zendune shrugs, _"Ya seem like a smart one, ya can probably figure out more dan I could wit it."_

Amber sighs as she sits at the desk huddled in the corner. She peruses through the pages. _"The text seems different this time, it's actually in legible English. Poor penmanship, sure, but legible."_

Zendune heaves an exaggerated yawn, _"It's been a long day fa me, do I just sleep here?"_

The teen shift around nervously before Chandler speaks up, _"Right here? Right now? Are you really that tired?"_

Zendune nods, _"Yeh, is dat a problem?"_

Zachary shrugs, "I mean, I hope my mom doesn't come in. I'm sure you'll be fine."

Zendune stretches briefly before plopping on the carpet, curling up before attempting to fall asleep.

Chloe sighs, _"Great, a giant naked TROLL is just sleeping in your room. Things really couldn't get any weirder today."_

Chandler scoffs, "Such a buzzkill, aren't you the least bit excited to see someone that's literally out of this world?"

Chloe shrugs, _"Yeah, but did he have to be so..."_ Chloe leans down into a whisper, "s _o ugly?"_

_"I heard dat,"_ Zendune retorts.

Chloe scoffs but doesn't say anything.

_"He's a big guy, I don't see the problem,"_ Chandler replies

Zachary sighs as the home alarm chimes softly followed by the sound of the door shutting. The faint smell of roses hits the room, the signature sign of Ms. Lawson wearing far too much of her favorite perfume. 

_"Oh, my mom's home,"_ Zachary notes.

Chloe pulls out her phone, glancing at it whilst talking, _"Six... My parents are going to want me home within like an hour then, they don't want me out past seven."_

Amber looks up from the book, _"I'll be honest, I have... no idea what's going on in this book. It's... it's a hodgepodge of works that I barely can string together. What does it mean by somatic gestures? Am I supposed to break into dance?"_

Chandler shifts his attention to her, _"Generally somatic gestures for spells means the movement of the hands, like you're you're a magician doing a card trick or something."_

Chloe sighs, " _I guess that helps, but I'd really like it if that... troll helped me out with this, he has to know what some of these things mean. After all, it's from the world HE came from."_

A voice from the hallway calls out, _"Zach! Dinner!"_

Zachary gasps, _"Shoot, ugh. Didn't think she'd bring home food today..."_ He pauses before yelling back, _"Coming! I have some friends over too."_

_"Okay, sweetie. But they can't stay here past eight."_

Amber closes the book, "Alright... I'll take this home with me to study it. I guess we'll... meet back here later?"

Chloe nods, "Yeah, good luck, Zach."

Chandler sighs, _"I envy you, Zach. I would love to be able to study such a troll more but... my mom would throw a fit if I stayed out again."_

The sun passes over the horizon as the starry skin illuminates the suburbs. Zendune stirs in his sleep, thinking about how he will return home and what he will do if such a feat proves impossible. While he enjoys the company, he can't help but feel... isolated. While he may be a guest in Zachary's home, he also feels like an intruder, a leech that will slowly drain him of his resources until he proves unable to provide.

His dreams are haunted by this guilt. He only hopes that the teens will find him endearing enough to help him in the endeavor home.

Zendune wakes up very early in the morning before the sun has had a chance to dawn. His stomach growls as he rubs his hands over his abs. He glances over to Zachary who is wrapped up in a bundle of coverings within the frame of a bed. Perhaps humans like their comforts, but Zendune can live with or without them.

He slowly pulls himself to his feet, cautious not to hit his head against the ceiling. The door to the hallway is closed as he inspects the knob. It's tiny within his massive hand, but he manages to open it without causing too much noise.

He paces to the kitchen, roused by hunger. He pries at the door, tugging it open as the cool breeze caresses his blue skin. This icebox is a neat gadget, not unlike something he's seen goblins craft.

He rustles through the interior before finding a bag like the one he ate out of yesterday. It looks like turkey meat, but not quite. He inspects the label... it's not written in Zandali or the common he knows the humans in Azeroth speak. He takes a deep breath, remembering the page he tore out the other day. Nothing's coming to him.

He tugs at the seal that keeps the bag closed, but to no avail. The contraption is troll proof... that or he's far too simple-minded. He tears the bag open as he removes the paper from the slices of meat. He takes a deep scent, it smells... different, a little diluted from the raw or cooked chicken he's eating in his home. He holds it in his fingers, it's wet and floppy, he shrugs, could be worse. Slice by slice, he consumes the contents until it's completely emptied, at least it's salty, he likes salted poultry. Sated for the time being, he tosses the plastic remnants onto the granite counter behind him before returning to Zachary's room, like he would've wanted.

Zendune curls up on the floor once more, ready to rest until the sun rises.

A few hours later their sleep is interrupted by someone yelling frown down the hall, _"Zachary Lawson! Come here this instant!"_

Zachary hops out from his bed, mindful not to step on Zendune as he follows the voice to the kitchen.

Ms. Lawson stands in front of the fridge, arms folded and noticeably upset. The fridge door is ajar, Zachary is unsure what the occasion is within his groggy stupor.

She speaks as she closes the door to the fridge, _"I didn't take it you're one to take midnight snacks, but this is inexcusable. You must NEVER leave the fridge door open. Do you understand? It costs a lot of money to let the cold escape like that." She takes a heavy sigh, "And clean up this mess too. I'm not sure if you're sleep-eating or what, but this is not like you."_

Zachary nods, _"Yes mom, sorry mom. I'll clean it right up."_

Ms. Lawson sighs, _"You know I love you, but money is tight. Just be careful, okay?"_ She pulls him in for a hug before leaving him alone with the mess. Zachary cleans up the bits of plastic and bits of paper before returning to his room.

Zachary stumbles over Zendune, nearly stepping on the troll. Realization dawns upon him as it's apparent Zendune managed to use the fridge at some point whilst he was sleeping.

Zachary speaks up, _"Zendune, did you raid the fridge?"_

The troll's ears twitch before he opens his eyes, _"De fridge? Dat's de icebox, right?"_

_"Yes, the icebox, Zendune. Did you grab some food and leave the door open?"_

Zendune nods softly as Zachary gives a heavy sigh. "You must be a little more careful when you rummage through my stuff. Close doors after you, try not to leave a mess. You know, be polite."

Zendune sighs softly, guilt slowly crawling up his spine. He is a guest, it's so uncharacteristic of him to leave such a mess. _"Sorry, it won't happen again, sir."_

Zachary musters up a polite smile in response, _"Thanks... just call me Zach."_

Zachary curls up into his bed, but Zendune cannot bring himself to fall asleep again. Instead, he waits with his eyes closed until the day is ready to move on.

Zachary - 8:52 am; "Zendune raided the fridge. Got in trouble :/"

Chloe - 9:00 am; "LOL"

Chandler - 9:02 am; "That troll is one hungry boy!"

Amber - 9:04 am; "Should we meet up at the drain again? Still trying to work out this book."

Zachary - 9:05 am; "K"

Chloe - 9:06 am; "Don't forget your boyfriend, Zach. What would be your couple's name anyway? Zacdune?"

Chandler - 9:06 am; "Okay, but what if Zendune DOES swing that way?"

Zachary - 9:06 am; "I'm muting you guys."

Zachary glances toward Zendune beneath him, _"Come on big guy, we're going to where we first met."_

Zendune's ears perk at his voice, _"Ah, okay."_

They sneak out of Zachary's home discreetly before crossing through the bayou to the drain where they typically hang out.

It doesn't take long for all the teens to converge at their hangout spot.

Amber is waiting for Zachary and the others as he approaches with Zendune. Zendune seems a little sluggish than before as he sits in the grass some distance from them. it doesn't take long for Chloe and Chandler to emerge as well.

Chandler is the first to speak up, _"Is something wrong with Zendune? He's not smiling... he was like... always smiling when we saw him yesterday."_

The other three turn to face Zendune, the troll is currently crouched to the ground, staring at the ground beneath him with intent.

Zachary gives a small sigh before approaching him, _"Is something wrong, Zendune?"_

Zendune's ears perk up as he flinches softly, _"Ah, no. I'm fine... I just feel like I should get going home soon."_

Chloe speaks up, _"He really must not like it here."_

Amber nudges Chloe softly, _"Be polite!"_

_"Wha-a-at?"_ Chloe retorts, "Just look at him! It looks like the last thing he wants is to be here right now."

Amber clicks her tongue, _"Well, are you going to reinforce the fact that he doesn't look happy or simply comment about it?"_

Zendune returns his gaze to the grass beneath him as his ears slowly droop.

Chloe folds her arms as Chandler butts in, "Maybe he's homesick, we don't know much about him. Why don't we get to know him more?"

Amber nudges Chloe, _"You first since you've been NOTHING but a brat to him._

Chloe rolls her eyes before she approaches Zendune. "What's up? You don't carry your smile like you used to."

Zendune sighs softly as he shifts his attention to her, "I just feel bad being here... like I don' belong."

Chloe scuffs at the grass beneath her feet before sitting down. _"Oh, tell me about it. When I first moved here I was so worried. Going into middle school, letting go of all my friends in my home... trying to meet new people. Not to mention that tingle in the back of your head saying 'nobody wants you here, you should just leave and never return.'"_

She pauses as she meets his gaze. "Tell me, why do you feel like you don't belong? I really want to know, because... well, it's all just in your head. I know it's difficult to break out of your shell and talk to others... make new friends, but sometimes you just gotta have courage."

Zendune takes a deep breath, "I have courage, I am brave. I jus'... it feels different here... I like making new friends, but... but I feel like y' don' want me to be 'ere. Like I'm just a leech."

Chloe closes her eyes briefly, as if in remembrance, _"I'm sure it's hard being so far from your home, but... well, you're our friend whether you like it or not. After all, who would we be if we were the ones to bring you here, only to leave you in the dust. I'm sorry... I should've realized this sooner. I was being a jerk and didn't want to deal with having another person in our friend group. I forgot that you're very real, just like Amber, Chandler, or Zachary."_ Chloe stands up, resting her hand on his shoulder, _"You should never feel dejected because someone else tried to shun you. I just hope you feel like we can be friends. I want you to be happy, Zendune. I don't want you to go through what I did when I first moved here."_

Zendune looks up to her, his face curling into a slight grin, _"Tanks, Chloe... dat means a lot."_

_"Any time, Zendune."_

Chandler speaks up softly, _"That was beautiful, Chloe..."_

Zachary gives a few claps of approval as Amber steps up, _"I didn't know you had it in you, Chloe."_

Chloe shrugs, _"He reminded me of myself when I first moved here. Nobody, not even a guy like him deserves the sorrow of feeling alone or unwanted."_

Zendune glances toward Amber as he stands up, _"D'ya still have dat book? I tink dere's a few tings I may be able t' help wit."_

Amber reaches into her satchel, pulling out the thick leather book, _"I have it right here."_

Amber opens it as Zendune moves to her side. He looks at the pages, giving a pensive sigh, _"It's a little funky 'cause I neva really worked wit magic like dis..."_

Amber nods, _"Take your time, Zendune. No need to rush."_

The three other teens huddle around as they inspect the book together. Zendune presses his thumb over a page, slowly turning to the next page. Slowly, page after page, Zendune flips through the book.

_"It looks... weird... I dunno if dis is de same book my friend used, but den again... I dunno. I neva looked at it anyway."_

Amber glances toward Zendune, _"Not much of a reader?"_

Zendune shrugs as he heaves a soft sigh, _"Y' could say dat."_ He continues perusing through the pages before stopping, _"Dere, dat's it, I tink."_

The four teens surrounding him shift forward to peer at the book. Zendune looks at the page with intent, running his finger over the sloppy text.

_"Ah, Erondris... she always wrote so fast. Must've been hard t' write in Orcish when y' just started to learn it."_

Zendune carefully tears the page out as he closes the book. _"Dis page is all we need for a return portal... It will allow me to emerge from de last place I entered a portal from. It should work since I haven't used any new portals or anytin'... at least I tink so."_

Chandler nods, _"Nice, what's with the page though? Is it how to cast the spell, perhaps a ritual... or maybe ingredients for spellcasting?"_

Zendune nods, _"Yeh, we're gonna need some stuff to make a portal back."_

Amber is first to ask, _"What do we need?"_

Zendune glances at the paper again, _"Yes, a return spell like dis will require a few tings. An object of sentimental value, someting of physical value, a light feather, some blood and lastly, eye of newt."_

Zachary glances toward Zendune, _"Eye of newt"_

_"Mustard seed,_ " Chandler replies.

Zachary gasps softly, _"Oh, that makes more sense, I think."_

Amber glances at the parchment, _"Okay, we can get some of these really easily, but what about the blood? Is it your blood?"_

Zendune nods, _"The blood is for who will be returning, me. De object of physical value must be worth a lot. Like several gold pieces. Ya guys have dat 'ere, right?"_

Amber shrugs, _"We have paper money, I think that'll work."_

Zendune gives a questioning glance, _"As long as it means someting."_

Chloe chimes in, _"I think you have some mustard seed at your corner store, right Chandler?"_

Chandler nods, "I think so."

Amber nods, _"That just leaves the bird feather. Anyone know how to catch a bird?"_

The teenagers shrug.

Zendune glances toward them, _"I'm pretty sure y' can catch one wit de promise of bread. Dose rats wit wings love bread."_

Chandler speaks up, _"Where should we start first?"_

Chloe gives him a sideways glance, _"Wouldn't it be easier to sp-"_

Chandler immediately narrows in on Chloe, speaking in a stage whisper, _"Look, Chloe. I probably will only have ONE chance to hang out with this troll again. So I'm GOING to make the most of it."_

Chloe rolls her eyes, _"Get a room already."_

Chandler folds his arms, _"Well, maybe we will!"_

Amber cringes, shifting away, _"Ew."_

Zendune raises an eyebrow before speaking up, "Well, let's start wit de object of sentimental value. De stronger attachment, de better."

Zendune glances down at himself, still only clad in his loincloth, "Dis loincloth does mean sometin' to me, cause Erondis picked it out f' me. Though... I don' wanna be naked."

Zachary sighs as an awkward pause drifts through the wind, thick enough to cut the air.

After a bout of thought, the teens slowly divert their gaze to Amber.

Amber raises her hands defensively, "What?! No! You have GOT to be kidding me!"

Chloe folds her arms, "Your refusal to accept the situation only reinforces the fact that you have the most sentimental keepsake."

Amber shakes her head, "You ARE NOT taking Bigglesworth away from me!"

Zachary chimes in, "Come on, Amber. Do it for the troll."

Chandler starts to chant, "Amber! Amber! Amber"

It's not long until Choe, Zachary and Zendune join in, chanting her name in unison.

"Amber! Amber! Amber!

Amber heaves a distraught sigh, "Fine! If it'll get you guys to stop! I'll do it!

Zendune brings his muscular, lanky arms up to begin clapping, _"Dat's de spirit!"_

Chandler joins in the clapping, _"Well, let's go."_

Amber sighs, _"You're really..? Fine, looks like you're not going to leave me alone. Since this means so much to you, Chandler, we can ALL go together and make a BIG scene about it."_

The five tread through the bayou, skulking behind the homes until they reach Amber's backyard.

"Hold on," Amber states as she fumbles for her keys. She slowly opens the door before rushing in and locking it behind her.

Amber shouts through the plastic screen, _"You ARE NOT taking Bigglesworth away from me! CHANDLER CAN STAY WITH HIS NEW BOYFRIEND FOREVER FOR ALL I CARE!"_

_"Amber!"_ Zachary shouts, _"What the heck?!"_

_"I don't care! You're not taking him away from me!"_ Amber replies as she folds her arms.

_"Amber... come on, remember what you told me earlier?"_

_"This is different,"_ Amber retorts, _"My grandma gave it to me!"_

Zendune raises an eyebrow as Chandler tugs at his wrist. Zendune reflexively leans down to meet the teen.

_"Bigglesworth is a stuffed frog that Amber's grandmother gave to her on her birthday. She died the same year."_

_"DONT TELL HIM!"_ Amber whines, storming off deeper into the home.

Chloe sighs, _"She's not going to relent that easily... so what now?"_

Zendune inspects the door, _"Does it look like dis door will hold me back?"_

Chandler shakes his head, _"Best not to break anything, Zendune."_

Zendune relaxes his shoulders, _"Alright den."_

Zachary gestures to the second floor, _"Look, Amber's room light is still off. If you guys help me up I can probably pick the window open. Her stuffed animal must still be in there."_

Zendune snickers, _"Ah, lockpickin', didn' take ya t' be so sneaky."_

Zachary shrugs, _"I sometimes forget the keys to my home and windows are easier to pick."_

_"So what, you're just going to piggyback on Zendune to pick the lock?"_

Zachary nods, _"Yeah, he's a big guy, I can reach the second floor with him."_

Chandler folds his arms, muttering quietly to himself.

Zendune smiles warmly and gives Chandler an affectionate pat on the head, _"Keep ya chin up, little one. Your time will come."_

Chandler relents as Zachary guides Zendune to the window. The massive troll helps Zachary up with ease as Zachary is hoisted up, keeping his shoes on Zendune's shoulders. Zendune keeps the teen up straight as Zachary digs into his pockets for his tool.

He leans in close, diligently picking the lock until a soft click is heard.

_"Got it,"_ Zachary states as he pushes the window up.

Zendune helps Zachary up as he slips into the home.

Chloe loiters as she glances toward Chandler, "So, I take it you're fond of Zendune?"

Chandler nods, "Isn't it obvious? He's AWESOME!"

Zendune snickers, "Haha, dat's right."

Zendune raises his arms, flexing them tightly. His bulky physique slowly pulsates as the massive biceps take form, the faint lining of veins emphasizes his vascularity and gives no doubt that Zendune is in perfect condition.

He leans over slightly, kissing his bicep.

Chloe scoffs, _"And you guys say I can be self absorbed..."_

Zendune chuckes, _"Heh, jealous?"_

Chloe rolls her eyes.

Chandler chimes in, _"Obviously she is. You're unlike any person that's ever existed."_

Zendune smiles, enthused by the appreciation he's getting, "An' don' forget it."

Chloe shakes her head, _"Not gonna lie, seeing your veins about to literally pop within your arms is kinda gross."_

_"Hah!"_ Zendune exclaims, _"Dat just means I'm pumped from my workouts!"_

_"One good papercut..."_ Chloe replies.

_"Like dat'll stop me, trolls can regenerate anytin!"_

Chloe scoffs again, _"You're impossible."_

Zendune grins, _"And dat's why I'm so perfect."_

Chloe gives a small chuckle, _"Fine, fine. You win this one."_

A piercing wail is heard from within, _"ZACHARY!"_

Zendune recoils from the screech, pulling on his ears as he cringes from the noise.

Zachary emerges at the window, _"Zendune! Catch me!"_

Zendune gasps as he raises his arms, Zachary flies out the window as Amber trails only inches behind him.

_"WHAT. THE. HELL. ARE. YOU. DOING?"_

Zendune catches Zachary as the teen looks up, waving the stuffed frog at her, _"Just getting a little present for my friend here!"_

Amber groans in frustration as she storms down.

_"RUN!"_ Zachary shouts as Zendune sets him on the ground. The four quickly dart off as Amber is left behind in her home.

As the group of four bolt their way into the bayou, Chloe speaks up after making some distance, _"What's left?"_ she asks through a few breaths.

Zendune glances at the list again, _"A light feather."_

Zendune looks up toward the sky, only a few birds fly far over the distance, but otherwise, it would seem that none are close enough to be caught by hand.

Chandler speaks up, _"We could try to make a trap, It'll probably work."_

Zachary looks at him, _"A trap? What do we need for a trap?"_

_"Well,"_ Chandler replies, " _A trap would likely need some netting, a spring pressure mechanism for when a bird lands on it, and lastly something strong enough to seal the bird within. Of course, the bait would be bread."_

Zendune nods, _"Crafty, aren'tcha?_

Chandler beams proudly, _"Exactly, so let's build that trap! I'm sure I have everything we need at my home."_

Zendune nods as the group treads through the bayou, passing through a few empty streets until they reach Chandler's home.

They enter the garage as the overpowering smell of sawdust hits their nostrils.

Zendune wafts the air in front of him, _"What, ya be a carpenter?"_

Chandler shakes his head, _"Not really. As you said, I just like being crafty sometimes."_

Chandler treads deeper into the garage, opening several cabinets as he 

He brings them back, splaying the assortment on a table.

Chandler speaks up, _"Okay, this should be everything we need to make a bird trap."_

The remaining three nod, ready to begin.

Amber - 10:54 am; "Guys?! Where are you?"

Chloe glances at her phone, _"It's just Amber, she's probably still upset. Come on. Let's get this finished."_

Amber - 10:59 am; "Hello?!"

Chandler gets started on the base as Zendune looks at him. Chandler glances up at the troll staring directly at him.

Chandler shifts in place slightly before speaking up, _"Something wrong?"_

Zendune nods, _"Yeh, I have no idea what t' do."_

Chandler chuckles, _"Okay, just follow my lead. I'll tell you where I need help."_

Amber - 11:04; "Whatever"

Zendune leans closer, ready to help as the other teens join in.

It doesn't take long, using Zendune's strength to hold down the base as the other teens fasten the net and getting the materials to adhere with one another. It doesn't take long until the trap is built.

Chandler rushes inside the kitchen as the others wait in the garage with the trap completely set. After a moment of waiting and hearing doors swing open followed by rustling, Chandler returns with a fistful of crackers.

"Okay," he states, _"We just put these on as bait, stick it somewhere high and wait for the birds to come along."_

Chloe speaks up, _"How about on one of your trees, I'm sure it'll work fine up there."_

Zachary nods, _"That should work."_

Chandler turns to Zendune, _"Zendune, would you do the honors of sticking this trap up in the trees?"_

Zendune nods as Chandler hands him the crackers as well.

"Wait," Chandler requests as he steps outside of the garage, _"Okay, the coast is clear, now go set that trap."_

Zendune picks up the trap after baiting it as he follows Chandler to the tree in his front yard. He lifts his arms to a nearby branch and sets the trap in the tree.

Chandler nods once the deed is done, _"Great! Now we wait."_

Chloe glances towards Zendune, _"What do we have to get next?"_

Zendune glances at the list, _"Someting of material value. Like money."_

The teens exchange glances, eventually, Chloe and Zachary stare at Chandler.

Chandler sighs and reaches into his wallet, _"Fine, how much do you think we need?"_

Zendune gives a soft shrug, _"What's de single most valuable item in dere?"_

Chandler pulls out a hundred dollar bill, _"This. It's... it's quite a bit of money."_

Zendune nods, _"Yep, dat'll do. keep it with ya fo' now though."_

Chloe snickers, _"Looks like you wont be able to afford a room for the night with your boyfriend anymore."_

Chandler sighs, _"Whatever, I'm sure it's worth it."_

Zachary shrugs, _"Well, that was relatively simple. What now?_

Zendune glances at the list again, _"Eye of newt."_

Chandler nods, _"Right, I should have some mustard seeds at my shop."_

Zendune smiles warmly, _"Well, what're we waitin' fo'? Let's get goin'."_

The group treads through the damp bayou until the cross the street, heading towards a store simply labeled, "Corner Shop"

_"Wait,"_ Zachary states as he halts the group.

They notice Amber loitering at the door, arms folded as she glances around. She quickly spots them and slowly starts to approach.

Zachary exhales, _"Crap, she saw us!"_

"Wait!" Amber shouts in response, _"I'm not here for a fight."_

She pulls out a bag of mustard seeds. _"Sure, it's disheartening, but I guess I can deal with it for a friend."_

She passes the bag towards Zendune, he accepts it graciously with a gentle smile.

Amber nods, "Okay, do we have everything we need to help Zendune go home?"

Chloe shakes her head, _"We're waiting for a bird to land in our trap, maybe it's caught one by now. Who knows."_

Amber sighs, _"Alright, let's go see if we have a bird."_

The five return to Chandler's home. As they near, the rustling sound of tweeting and rustling feathers grows noisier. Zendune walks up to the tree, reaching up and pulling down the trap.

A crow is caught inside the net, trapped within the bindings.

Chandler looks at the bird, "Will this work?"

Zendune plucks a jet feather from the bird before disentangling it from the web. He gives an assuring nod, _"Dis'll do."_

Zendune passes Bigglesworth to Amber, _"Cherish it. Keep it loved. Maybe if your love is strong enough he won't leave."_

Amber hugs the frog plushie, keeping it tightly within her arms.

Chandler speaks up, _"Wait, can we do this at the storm drain?"_

Zendune glances at the teen.

_"Yeah,"_ Chandler continues, _"The place is kind of our hangout and I want to spend one last moment there with all of us together."_

Zendune shrugs, _"Sure ting."_

With all the ingredients for the spell collected, the five tread along the bayou until they come across the grate of the storm drain.

Zendune places the book on the ground.

_"Wait!"_ Chloe exclaims, _"I need to take a picture of this. I can't believe I almost forgot!"_

Zendune snickers, _"Ah, a S.E.L.F.I.E? Cute, I love taking pictures."_

Amber raises an eyebrow _, "Huh, you know... I guess I shouldn't be surprised."_

_"Alright,"_ Chloe states, _"Gather around!"_

The group huddles together, getting into their poses. Zendune raises his massive biceps as he flexes behind everyone, Zachary gives a simple smile as he stands to the far left. Amber gives a slight smile, leaning toward Chloe. Chloe gives a peace sign as she leans toward Amber. Chandler sits at the far right, pressing himself against Zendune as Chloe snaps the camera.

Chloe - 11:17 am; *Sent a photo*

Zendune wraps the teens up within his arms, giving them all a massive group hug, _"Tanks guys, I could neva have done dis without'cha."_

Chandler coos, _"Aww, thanks. 'Twas a pleasure to help, mister troll."_

Zendune takes a deep breath, _"Amber, Chandler, Chloe, Zachary... are ya ready?"_

The teens nod, assuring him that they're prepared.

Zendune smiles as he places down the book, _"Good."_ Zendune proceeds by placing down the ingredients he has. Placing the feather on the book followed by his mustard seed.

Chandler pulls out his hundred-dollar bill, giving it to Zendune.

Amber sets Bigglesworth next to the book.

Zendune nods as he takes the cash. He holds it in his arms as they slowly start to illuminate. It's not long until a small flame ignites as the cash is quickly dissolved into ashes as he lets it pour out onto the book.

He pulls the mustard seeds out of the bag, sprinkling them onto the ashes that coat the book.

He brings his hand up to his tusk, piercing it before wrenching some blood onto the mess he's made.

Chandler stares in awe as the wound immediately knits almost as soon as he gashed it. _"Cool..."_

Zendune takes the mixture of seeds, ashes and blood as he draws a circle around the book.

Zendune grabs the feather as he swallows it whole.

The teens give him a confused glance, but don't say anything in the assumption that it was necessary.

Lastly, Zendune grabs Bigglesworth, placing it in the center of the book. It vanishes in a puff of smoke as Amber lets loose a squeal of dread. A portal takes its place, tall enough for Zendune to enter through comfortably.

Zendune kneels to the teens before him, crossing his arm over his chest respectfully.

_"My friends, it was an honor to meet you. Perhaps we will meet again one day."_

The teens lean in for one last hug as Chandler speaks up, _"I'll miss you, big guy."_

_"I'll miss you too, Chandler. Though I really should get going now, Erondis must be thinking sometin' bad 'appened to me, and I don' want her to worry anymore. Besides, dere's many otha reasons why I must return." He heaves a soft sigh, "Maybe I'll find a way to meet with all o' ya again one day."_

He stands up, _"Until den, friends. Until den..."_

Zendune straightens himself as he steps through, the portal vanishes before him.

There seemingly is no trace that Zendune was every here. Bigglesworth falls from the sky, landing directly inside where the ash circle once was.

Amber picks up her toy, now void of all color. _"You know... I'll kind of miss that guy."_

Chandler sighs, _"Yeah, me too..."_

Zachary looks at his phone, _"Hey, at least we got a pretty good pick."_

Chloe smiles as she admires the picture she took, _"Yeah, for a troll he was kind of cute."_

Chandler pulls out his phone to look at the picture, _"Until we meet again, Zendune."_


End file.
